This section includes information connected to being at home - housing and getting a home, tenants rights, help with fuel bills, insulation, junk mail,rubbish collection, support dogs and the home library service.
To apply for a council home you need to fill in a council application form, you can get these from any of the local housing offices, or you can get one from the website:
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/housingservices/Applying_for_a_Council_Home.htm
You are awarded points based on the information in your application form.
You may be awarded extra points for disability need.
For most properties you need at least 30 points.
There is some guidance offered in the Wolverhampton Homes leaflet “Area Demand Checklist” – which gives you an idea of which areas have vacant properties for over 60 points, over 30 points and under 30 points. You can download that document here:
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/housingservices/Applying_for_a_Council_Home.htm
There is very limited housing stock and even fewer homes that are adapted, so it is very difficult to get council housing.
The Wolverhampton Homes website also has information on Tenancy Agreements, vacant properties, buying your council home, and becoming part of a tenants or residents group.
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/
Sheltered and very sheltered housing
Wolverhampton Homes in partnership with various Housing Associations, has a limited number of places in sheltered and very sheltered housing schemes.
There is no right-to-buy with this type of housing.
Sheltered Housing is for older or disabled people. There is a group of self-contained flats, bedsits or bungalows, mainly level access, and many with adaptations.
Many schemes offer communal facilities such as meeting or tv rooms, laundry facilities etc.
A member of staff is available to support tenants during weekdays, helping with any rent or repairs problems, as well as checking in on the tenant if necessary. There is a carelink alarm for emergencies at other times.
If you meet the criteria for sheltered housing, you can fill in a form at any local housing office.
Very Sheltered Housing is for disabled or ill people with specific care needs. The aim of the scheme is to keep people living in their own home (in the scheme), rather than moving into a residential home.
Very Sheltered Housing includes your own private living space, and communal facilities, and staff to help with personal care or domestic tasks if you have been assessed as needing this help.
You can get a form for this type of housing from a housing office or online:
http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/housing/supported/very.htm
Repairs Reception Service
If you live in a Wolverhampton Homes property, you have to contact this service to enquire about or arrange a repair
The service is staffed Monday-Thursday 8.30-5.00 and Friday 8.30-4.30
Telephone: (01902) 556789 Minicom: (01902) 551822
Fax: (01902) 556672
Email: repairs@wolverhampton.org.uk
You can also ring free of charge using any of the courtesy phones in the civic centre or housing offices – ring 6789
If you have an emergency repair outside office hours you can telephone 552999
Housing Associations
Asra Midlands housing Association
Asra has sheltered housing with a housing support officer in Wolverhampton at Blakenhall and Whitmore Reans.
You can apply for one of their homes using the form on this page:
http://www.sanctuary-housing.co.uk/Asra+Midlands+Housing+Association/ASRA+Midlands+Housing.htm
Or contact their local group office:
Telephone: 0800 288 9782
Email: marketings and lettings
Black Country Housing have some standard homes in Wolverhampton and other areas of the West Midlands.
You can download an application form here:
http://www.bcha.co.uk/documents/forms/standard_housing_app.pdfThey also operate a tenancy support service called reach, for their tenants who are vulnerable or who may need help with lifeskills etc.
Black Country Housing do not have any sheltered housing schemes in Wolverhampton, but they have a four-bedroom home for people with learning disabilities near Bilston. For more information telephone 0121 561 1969or email supportedhousing@bcha.co.uk.
You can contact Black Country Homes here:
Black Country Housing Group, 134 High Street, Blackheath, Warley, West Midlands. B65 0EE
0121 561 1969 (main switchboard)
Bromford Housing association
Bromford operate the HOLD scheme – this is set up to help people with learning disabilities to own homes.
Usually people on the HOLD scheme will own 50% or more of their home, and rent the rest.
For more information telephone Julia Harris on (01902) 719567 or
email Sue Holden at sue.holden@bromford.co.uk
Focus Housing Midlands
Focus will not consider people who already have a council or housing association home.
Contact: Focus Housing Midlands, 20 Bath Row, Birmingham, B15 1LZ
Tel: 0845 60 20 544 Fax: 0870 60 70 314
email: housingmidlands@focus.co.uk
Heantun Housing Association
Wellington House, 3 Wellington Road, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV14 6AA
Phone: (01902) 571 100 Fax: (01902) 429 327
Navjeevan
Navjeevan Housing project providing housing and support to Asian women assessed as having a mental health problem.
(01902) 312234
Nehemiah Housing
Nehemiah has standard and sheltered housing schemes around the Midlands, including Wolverhampton.
Telephone: 0121 358 0966 for more information.
Nehemiah Housing, 5 Beacon Court, Birmingham Road, Great Barr, Birmingham B43 6NN
Touchstone Housing Association
Touchstone has homes to rent, part-buy or buy.
Some of their properties are eligible for shared ownership – this is where you buy 50% or more on a mortgage, and rent the half owned by the housing association. You can increase your ownership until you end up owning 100% if you wish.
Telephone 0800 445 567 for more information on shared ownership.
Touchstone are partners or providers for a lot of the city’s sheltered housing schemes. To find out more on sheltered housing, or to register call 08459 507 200 between 8.30am and 4.30pm, weekdays.
Touchstone’s Wolverhampton office is 132 Compton Road, Wolverhampton WV3 9QB
Private Landlords
You can find some vacant properties owned by private landlords by contacting lettings companies, or looking in the local newspaper.
Most of these do not have accessible properties.
Some estate agents also rent properties.
Private Landlords now have responsibilities under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
The Housing Act –housing association/social landlords tenants’ rights
If you think your home is unsafe and needs repairs, you can contact the Environmental Health Officer for an inspection. Telephone (01902) 556556 (switchboard)
They can force the landlord to carry out repairs they think are necessary.
The Housing Act – rights for tenants of private landlords
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) adds to the Housing Act, by looking at the risk to health and safety of a tenant as a result of the condition of a property.
If you have damaged stairs, faulty wiring, noise, mould in the kitchen or other health/safety problems with your privately rented property, you should contact the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal section about an inspection: (01902) 555414
Tenancy deposits – New rules will be coming into force regarding deposits. When you sign a new tenancy agreement, landlords will only be able to take a deposit if they use one of the two schemes- a custodial scheme, whereby the deposit is held by the scheme during the tenancy and during any legal dispute, or an insurance-based scheme where the landlord or agent keeps the deposit, but the deposit is insured in case of any dispute and thus protected for the tenant.
The landlord must tell you within 14 days of getting the deposit, which scheme s/he is using.
At the end of tenancy, under either scheme, landlords must repay all or part of a deposit, within 10 days of notification of termination of tenancy or within 10 days of a deposit dispute being resolved.
Failing to comply may mean landlords have to pay back 3 times the deposit.
For more information on this, visit the website of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1152038
Shared Housing – if you live in a shared house with 3 or more floors, and 5 or more tenants not from the same family, the landlord must register the property with the council. To get a licence the property is inspected to make sure that the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities, gas and electric are suitable, and that the building is not overcrowded.
If you live in a council home and you need it to be adapted so you can get around, the first thing you need to do is get an assessment of your need by an officer from the Community Equipment Service you or your doctor, social worker or other agency can contact them. They are open weekdays 9.30-12.30 and 1.30-4.30.
It may take up to 6 months for an occupational therapist to come and assess your need.
When you have been assessed, they will tell you what adaptations they will provide. Small things like grab rails can often be done within 7 days of the assessment decision, other adaptations can take much longer.
Contact: Community Equipment Service, Craddock Street, Whitmore Reans Wolverhampton, WV6 0QJ
Phone: (01902) 553666
email: ssces@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Private Homes - Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
The DFG is for people who own their own home or who are tenants of a property not owned by the Council.
Disabled Facility Grants are given for essential adaptations to enable a disabled person to get around their house. It includes things like ramps, wheel-in showers, door-widening, improved heating, a stair lift etc
The Council will assess your need, and what money you and your partner have in terms of income, savings etc. (or the income and savings of the parents if the disabled person is under 19).
They will work out whether you can get a grant covering the entire cost, or whether you have to pay some of the cost.
The Council will decide whether they think the adaptation is reasonable and doable.
To apply you will need to get your needs assessed by an Occupational Therapist.
If the Occupational Therapist recommends an adaptation you will be sent some forms to fill in about yourself and your money.
Officers will inspect your property to decide what work needs to be carried out.
They will then let you know when the work can be started. If you start the work before the council approves your application, you will not get ANY grant.
Contact: Community Equipment Service, Craddock Street, Whitmore Reans
Wolverhampton, WV6 0QJ
Phone: (01902) 553666
email: ssces@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Energy Grants and assistance
Warm Front
If you own your own home, or rent it from a private landlord, and you heat it using oil, mains gas, off-peak electricity or solid fuel (like coal), you may be able to get a Warm Front Grant of up to £1500 for insulating your home or improving the heating.
To qualify, disabled people must be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, or on a low income (less than £15,050) and receiving the disability element of Working Tax Credit
It is also available for people receiving Attendance Allowance, or people on Income support, or Housing or council tax benefit, providing you are getting the disability premium with one of these benefits.
People over 60 are eligible for a larger grant if they get a pension credit, housing benefit, or council tax benefit.
To apply call the Warm Front Scheme Manager on freephone 0800 316 6011, textphone 0800 072 0156 from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm weekdays.
Health through warmth (HTW)
HTW is for people who live in cold or damp homes and have a long-term or serious illness.
It aims to provide energy efficiency or central heating to vulnerable people living in these conditions.
Telephone: 0800 512012 for more information.
British Gas Energy Trust
If you get your gas or electricity from British Gas, and you are struggling with debt or unable to pay your fuel bill, you may be able to get help from the British Gas Energy Trust. They can help with debt advice or may be able to give you a grant to help you with your fuel debt or other debt.
You need to fill in a form from the British Gas Energy Trust called “application for financial assistance”, which you can get from the British Gas Energy Trust www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk .
Home Improvement Loans
The council runs a Kickstart home improvement loan scheme for people who own their own home or who are private tenants.
Kickstart aims to help owner occupiers whose homes need work to be carried out to meet the 'Decent Homes Standard', but who are unable to fund this through savings or bank loan.
The Decent Homes Standard include things like modern facilities in your bathroom and kitchen, weather and damp proofing etc.
You may be eligible for Kickstart if your home needs this kind of work, you cannot fund it, and you are on a low income or benefits.
You have to repay the loan when the property is sold, vacated, or changes ownership. The amount you repay is based on the value of the house at the time, so it is likely to be more than the original loan.
For more information, or to get an application form, contact:
Kick Start Pro>ject Manager, Neighbourhood Renewal Private Sector Housing Team, Heantun House, Salop Street, Wolverhampton, WV3 0SQ
Telephone (01902) 552796
email: kick.start@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Supporting People
Supporting People is a Government funded service run by the local council. Wolverhampton Supporting People funds housing support services to help you to live independently. The service is for a variety of people needing this help including disabled people, mental health service users, people coming out of prison, people with drug or alcohol dependency issues, people escaping domestic violence, refugees and homeless people.
The sort of services they fund include
Help with social and life skills like cooking, applying for benefits, budgeting etc, help finding and keeping somewhere to live, advocacy, help with finding training or employment.
Service lasting less than 2 years are free, services lasting longer may have a charge.
You can contact the Supporting People Team at the Civic Centre.
Telephone: (01902) 554906
Carelink
Carelink is an emergency call service for older and disabled people living alone, often alone, or people living with someone else who cannot help them.
It enables you to press a button when you have an emergency so that you can get help.
To find out how to apply, you can use an online form:
https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/WebForms/GenericForms/Type1Form.aspx?src=031
or telephone: (01902) 554754
Furniture
STAAR Furniture collects donated furniture and sells second-hand furniture cheaply to people on low incomes.
For more information, contact them on (01902) 572037, or write to 172 Chervil Rise, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, WV10 0HR
Gardening and odd-job help
Age Concern has a word-of-mouth list of builders, gardeners, and handymen and women. These are people who have been recommended by people who use Age Concern.
You can get this list from Age Concern, or from the One Voice office.
Refuse Collection
If you have white goods or other bulky items like beds that need to be thrown away, you can contact the council on 551119 to arrange a collection – if you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax then you may not have to pay for the service – for everyone else, the charge is:
£15 for bulky household items (up to 5 items)
£16.50 per fridge/freezer/cooker.
It takes some time to have your bulky rubbish collected – their target is to contact you within 10 days to arrange for collection.
If you cannot use the Council’s waste disposal centre yourself by reason of disability, you might want to argue a case for having the charge reduced or waived as a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination Act.
(01902) 555181
Junk Mail
If you want to cut down on the junk mail you receive, or stop all those calls from people trying to sell you windows or insurance you can contact the Mail Preference Service by telephone 0207 2913310 or online at www.mpsonline.org.uk. To put an end to telephone sales, contact them at www.tpsonline.org.uk or call 0845 0700707
It takes about 6 week for the cancellation to come into effect.
Home Library Service
The home library Service is for Wolverhampton citizens who are unable to use their local library because of access problems.
They deliver books (large and standard print, and audiobooks), music, films and jigsaws to your door.
To find out if you can get this service, contact them on (01902) 556256
Support Dogs
There are now many charities that will assess you for an assistance dog to help you to live independently:
Hearing Dogs
Hearing Dogs train dogs to alert deaf people to specific sounds, in the home, workplace and public buildings.
Hearing Dogs will assess you to see if their service is right for you, then they will match you up with a trained dog – you get a chance to say what kind of breed, sex and size of dog you would prefer.
The Deaf or hard-of-hearing person and the dog then go through a period of training together.
For more information contact: The Grange, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 9NS
Telephone: 01844 348 100 (voice & minicom) Fax: 01844 348 101
Email: info@hearingdogs.org.uk
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the blind trains dogs to assist blind and visually impaired people in getting around.
Contact: The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Burghfield Common, Reading RG7 3YG
Telephone: 0118 983 5555
Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk
Support dogs
Support dogs train dogs for people with a variety of impairments, such as seizure alert dogs (for people who have seizures), medical assistance dogs
Contact: 21, Jessops Riverside, Brightside Lane, SHEFFIELD S9 2RX
Telephone 0870 609 3476. Fax 0114 2617 555
E-mail supportdogs@btconnect.com
Dogs for the disabled
Dogs for the Disabled trains dogs to help disabled people live more independently. The dogs are trained in practical tasks like opening and closing doors, helping a person undress, and taking the laundry out of the washing machine.
You can apply for a dog using an online form:
www.dogsforthedisabled.org/applyforadog.php
Contact: Telephone: 08700 776600 Fax: 08700 776601
info@dogsforthedisabled.org